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Saunders Family Collection, 1941-1945

(Manuscript Collection #964)

Descriptive Summary

Title:	Saunders Family Collection
Creator:	Saunders family
Repository:	ECU Manuscript Collection
Languages:	English
Extent:	0.01 Cubic feet, 12 items .

Administrative Information

Accessions Information

October 23, 2003, (unprocessed) 12 items, 0.01 cubic feet; Collection (1941-1945) of war ration books and letters from Pvt. Bernard W. Saunders, a Japanese prisoner of war in the Philippines, and from Staff Sgt. John James "Jack" Mitchell, from England prior to the invasion of Europe received by the Saunders family of Bedford, VA. Donor: Ronald L. Saunders

Access Restrictions

No restrictions

Copyright Notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Preferred Citation

Saunders Family Collection (#964), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ronald L. Saunders

Processing Information

Encoded by Mark Custer, February 13, 2008

Subject Headings

Personal/Family names

Topical terms

Preliminary Inventory

Below is material taken from a preliminary inventory and represents content from the collection that is unprocessed.

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Box 1#0964.1
- Folder a#0964.1.a
  Bernard W. Saunders Letters
  - Pvt. Saunders letter (11/17/1941), dated en route from Guam to Manila, P.I. To his mother, Route #2, Bedford, VA. 1 item. 3 p. Photocopy holograph. Letter describes recent stay in Honolulu; the boat trip from the mainland; expected arrival in Manila on 20 Nov. by boat; 6-hour stop in Guam, 16 Nov.; future possibility of war with Japan. (item #1)
  - Pvt. Saunders form letter (c. 1943), dated Imperial Japanese Army Philippine Prison Camp #4, to his father Joseph. J. Saunders, Route #2, Bedford, VA. 1 item. 2 p. Photocopy. Letter is a printed form indicating that his health is "good." Typed text: "Am getting along fine. Hope at home are the same. Give my regards to all my friends. May you all have a greata Christmas. Don't worry; my chin is still [up] Answer through International Red Cross. Your son, [Signature]." (item #2)
  - Pvt. Saunders form letter (c. 1942), dated Imperial Japanese Army Philippine Prison Camp #1, to his father Joseph W. Saunders, Route #2, Bedford, VA. 1 item. 2 p. Photocopy. Letter is a printed form indicating that his health is "excellent," "uninjured" and "well." Typed text: "Hope to see all of you soon." (item #3)
  - Edward F, Witsell, Acting the Adjutant General of the Army, Telegram (9/17/1945) dated Washington, DC, to mrs. Janie Gray Saunders, Route #2, [Bedford, VA.] 1 item. 1 p. Photocopy. Telegram informs Mrs. Saunders that her son returned to U..S. military control 9/10/1945 and is being returned to the U.S. within the near future and will be given an opportunity to communicate with her upon arrival. (item #4)
  - Pvt. Saunders letter (9/23/1945), on American Red Cross stationery, to "Dear Mom and Dad," Route #2, Bedford, VA. 1 item. 2 p. Photocopy holograph. Letter discusses hardships endured, joy at freedom, receipt of letter from them, anxiety to learn of family. (item #5)
- Folder b#0964.1.b (1 item digitized)
  J. W. Mitchell Letters
  - Staff Sgt. J. W. Mitchell, V-Mail letter (9/26/1943) to Mrs. Jack Mitchell, Box 200, Bedford, VA. Photocopy. Letter is a cartoon showing the head of an American serviceman [possibly Mitchell himself] and of Winston Churchill smoking a cigar. Signed: "Jack." Cartoon by "LAZ" A.R.C. 21/9/1943. (item #2)
  - Staff Sgt. J. W. Mitchell, V-Mail letter (12/25/1943) to Mrs. Jack Mitchell, Box 200, Bedford, VA. Photocopy. Letter is a cartoon showing an American serviceman in combat gear holding a censored letter: "Somewhere in Britain December 25, 1943. Dear [Blank] Merry Christmas and [Blank] a [Blank] [Blank] Happy [Blank] Year! [Blank] [Blank] From. Signed: "Jack." Cartoon by Lt. Dave Breger. (item #3)
  - Staff Sgt. J. W. Mitchell, V-Mail letter (ca. Christmas 1943) to Mrs. Jackie Mitchell, Box 200, Bedford, VA. Photocopy. Letter is a cartoon showing a party scene with dishevelled American serviceman sitting on the floor and opening Christmas presents, watched by an assortment of British servicemen and civilians. Text: "Greetings from Britain." Signed: "Love, Jack." Cartoon by "Wingert." (item #4)
  - Easter V-mail (item #1)
- Folder c#0964.1.c
  Saunders Family, Bedford, VA War Ration Books
  - Joseph James Saunders, Jr. (age 25) War Ration Book One (5/6/1942) 712 Longwood Ave., Bedford, VA. 1 item. 1 p. (item #2)
  - Joseph James Saunders, III. (age 20 months) War Ration Book One (5/6/1942) 712 Longwood Ave., Bedford, VA. 1 item. 1 p. (item #3)
  - Frances Ruth Saunders (age 23) War Ration Book One (5/6/1942) 712 Longwood Ave., Bedford, VA. 1 item. 1 p. (item #i)

Online access to this finding aid is supported with funds created through the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). These funds come through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which is administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. This grant is part of the North Carolina ECHO, Exploring Cultural Heritage Online, Digitization Grant Program.

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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Special Collections Division, J.Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. The materials described here are physically available in our reading room. To see what's been digitized in this collection, please click on the "View Digitized Objects" tab, or look for hyperlinks in the preliminary inventory